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Employer Tate and Lyle has been fined £270,000, with costs of £90,000, following the death of one of its contractors on a worksite.

The death of 53-year-old Keith Webb in the Slivertown-based sugar refinery owned by Tate and Lyle resulted in a prosecution of the company by HSE. The company pleaded guilty to the charges of breach of Sections 2 (1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 before Southwark Crown Court.

The accident that took place in 2004 was attributed to the negligence of the company in ensuring the safety of its employees. According to witnesses, Mr Webb, employed by Acclaim Logistics Ltd, was working inside a bulldozer on the day of the accident. He was engaged in unloading sugar from a ship. When the bulldozer was being lowered into the hold of the ship, the connecting chain broke, resulting in a sudden drop of the vehicle. It fell on the ship and sank into the water, killing Mr Webb.

The investigation following the incident disclosed that there were a number of security lapses in the management of operations at the site. The employers had not only failed to install proper mechanism for accessing ships and unloading of cargo, but had also failed to properly manage and guide the staff and contractors.

According to HSE Inspector John Crookes, the overall performance of Tate and Lyle had not been up to the mark, on account of the terrible inadequacies in its safety measures for workers. Crookes added that such an accident could have been averted, but for the negligent attitude of the employer.

Workplace Law is a major provider of accredited health and safety training, with well established study programmes for IOSH and NEBOSH courses. They provide hundreds of organisations throughout the country with consultancy and support to meet the specific needs within their own workplace - click on IOSH Health and Safety for training to assist in the development and implementation of safety systems within your own workplace environment.

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In yet another accident related to negligence at of workplace a Burnley-based company as well as its director has been successfully prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The accident that took place at ‘Shoe City’ in Gateshead involved an employee named Lucasz Czuba, who fell from a height of seven meters while working on the renovation of a roof top and sustained grievous injuries.

Webber Trading Ltd had been engaged by the building owners to fit steel sheets over plastic rooflights. Czuba was working on the rooflights, when he stepped on one of the unsecured lights and fell seven meters onto the floor below. He received severe injuries in the accident.

The HSE initiated proceedings against Webber and at Gateshead Magistrates Court, the company pleaded guilty to charges of ignoring the regulations of section 2(1) and section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974. It was fined 6,000 pounds in addition to 2,838.20 pounds towards costs and a 15-pound victim surcharge.

The director of Webber, Jeffery Robinson, who was supervising the work, was also fined 1,000 pounds along with a victim surcharge of 15 pounds and costs of 200 pounds after pleading guilty to the same charges that were levied on the company.

HSE Inspector Martin Smith said the company had failed to take the necessary safety measures to prevent such an accident and had failed to conduct a proper risk assessment, which led to the accident.

He also added that in 2007-08, over half of the deaths of construction workers have been on sites where renovation and repair work was being carried out, and as many as 34 of these deaths had occurred on account of falling from heights.

It is a requirement to undertake a suitable and sufficient risk assessment on all work undertaken where there is a risk of injury as a result of a fall from height, Working at Height training will benefit organisations in helping to minimise the risks of work at height and bring work procedures up to date with the requirements of new legislation.

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There are hundreds of professional organizations that provide resources and support to their paralegal members but the field is really dominated by a handful that have the clout and membership to influence rules and make changes within the industry. A few of those top professional organizations include: the American Alliance of Paralegals (AAPI), the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) and the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) which combined have an estimated 35,000 plus members all across the United States. While the AAPI primary purpose is providing the best paralegal training and educational programs possible the NFPA and NALA work to influence and guide the language and it’s used within the profession.

Crucial benchmarks to gauge when examining the standard of a paralegal program:

1. Teaching practical, usable job skills in combination with fundamental legal principals are an essential part of any quality paralegal schools curriculum. In addition, paralegal degree programs should also cover topics like contract law, legal research, business organizations and legal writing. A quality paralegal school will focus their courses towards the development of an overall higher quality, well-rounded student. This would be done by designing courses that develop students’ hypercritical thinking abilities, organizational skills and their emotional and mental capacity to handle delicate ethical issues.

2. Who’s behind the paralegal curriculum? In other words, what kind of credentials does the program director and the faculty possess. The director should have some type of paralegal education, a law degree or related advanced degree and if they also have legal field experience that’s a plus. In addition, faculty should either have direct paralegal field experience or at a minimum, experience working with paralegals. Of course, they must be an expert in the subject they are teaching.

3. Online learning, also called distance learning has become the latest craze in the pursuit of paralegal degree excellence but an important question to ask your-self before taking the online plunge is is it right for me? Pursuing a paralegal degree online is obviously different than campus learning because regardless of how the material is delivered (video or web-based content or tele-courses, etc.) the entire teacher / student relationship is much different and you need to decide if you can learn that way. If yes, go for it because there are many benefits; if not, then you need to find the nearest campus based paralegal school.

Clearly, pursuing a paralegal career isn’t for everyone but for those that enjoy research, have solid organizational and writing skills and can work under pressure this is a wide open and growing field that can offer financial security and professional satisfaction.

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On May one, 2009, there had been a recall of fourteen Hydroxycut diet-aid products springing from a number of reports that folks using the products were developing major liver issues and other health worries. Less than 7 days later, on May four, the 1st Hydroxycut class action court action was filed against the company that manufactures the products, Iovate Medical Sciences. The Hydroxycut Lawsuit alleges company negligence in informing the public about potential dangers of the products. Naturally, it’s too shortly to know how the suit is going to turn out, but if the company had information which it didn’t divulge to consumers, it should definitely be held accountable.

A class action court action is filed by a bunch of folks, all of whom have similar claims against a certain company. Filing a class action is just as effective, and a lot less dear, than filing an individual suit. As a rule, filing a class action lawsuit won’t cost you anything unless there’s a settlement. At that time, the lawyer who handled the suit will take his charges from the compensation that was awarded and then assign the remaining funds to the plaintiffs in the case. Since this is the case, you’ll be able to file a Hydroxycut class action suit without paying a penny out of your own pocket, which is one of the explanations that class action lawsuits have become so popular.

The initial class action lawsuit against Iovate was filed in Canada where the company is found and represents all Canadian citizens who sustained health issues due to Hydroxycut products. The FDA recall occurred in the U. S. where 23 cases of liver disorders and other health issues had been reported. Health Canada did not receive any reports of liver damage caused by the diet products, but they did receive seventeen reports concerning folks who sustained respiratory, neurological, cardio, and gut issues as a result of Canadians using the products.

The Hydroxycut Liver Damage Suits alleges the company sold the company sold the general public of the health risks that they could exposing consumers to. The complaint states the company failed to publish the data on the product labels stating that users could run the chance of liver and kidney damage as well as stomach, cardio, respiration, and neurological issues. The suit goes on to claim this was a blatant omission on the part of the company which deliberately misled buyers concerning the safety of the products.

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The HSE is advising hairdressers to use non-latex gloves at work to protect themselves from skin-related conditions like dermatitis after research showed that these gloves did not interfere with work.

Owing to their nature of work, hairstylists are 17 times more likely to develop skin diseases compared to workers in other professions. Their work involves continuous exposure to chemicals in hair products and water.

About 70% of salon workers end up suffering from a skin problem at least once in their professional life. Skin diseases like dermatitis usually ache as well as make the hands look quite ugly, forcing the hairdressers to take a break from their work thus bringing losses to them and their employers.

The HSE recently conducted a survey wherein it tried to find out if the use of non-latex gloves, which prevent skin diseases, caused any obstruction in the regular work of the hairdressers. Hairdressers usually avoid the use of gloves because they believe it prevents them from working properly.

As part of the trial, the HSE sent long-sleeved gloves to 750 salons. The gloves, which were of vinyl and nitrile type, were provided free of charge and the hairdressers were directed to use them to shield their skin from contact with water and chemical based hair care products.

The trial showed about 80% of workers comfortably using these gloves and 74% of them saying that the gloves did not interfere with their work at all. This proved that the reluctance amongst the hairstylists to use these gloves at work was based on an incorrect assumption.

Habia, an association for the hair and beauty industry, has also given its support to the HSE campaign, saying that it hoped more salon workers would start using these gloves for their own protection.

Make sure that your company is not in the dark when it comes to new health and safety regulations. The other way to keep up-to-date is to make sure that you take advantage of the nebosh training services operated by reputable companies such as Workplace Law.

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A barrister bookcase is a traditionalistic bookcase Its differentiating feature is a pure glass front end. This glass front end is hinged at the upper lip allowing a person to easily admittance volumes and other collectibles simply by opening the glass door. The barrister bookcase is ideal for a thousand things. Barrister bookcases were frequently used by lawyers since it was necessary for them to keep on moving. Nowadays, they are also very convenient, particularly if one is incessantly on the move. This is because the bookcase is closed by use of doors.. This prevents them from having to be voided on moving

More about these great bookshelves

Barrister bookcases have the benefit of preservativing the collectibles from debris and other foreign impurities. They offer broader protection than other types of bookshelves. Except junk, sunlight is also blockedby adding tempered glass. . sun impacting the spines of the books. This will maintain the books colour and its bindings from fading.

The bookcases, despite many benifits,can be rather expensive. As Luck Would Have It, their many advantages have moved some producers to start producing replica editions and some in modern versions at very small prices. Some variations have simple appearances and can be made to fit a particular theme. They can also be made into customized at little cost.They can be stacked together allowing them to be easily used to create very interesting unit placements. Some can be used to create ping pong tables, breakfronts or even dinning tables.

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If you desire Paralegal career in California you should know what is required of you. Technically, in regards to licensing or certification there are not any requirements in which you must meet. However, since there are so very many paralegals already employed in California along with so many more seeking employment in the state, you should, on your own, earn one of two certifications to enhance your career opportunities. These two voluntary certifications mentioned are the Certified Legal Assistant, or in short the CLA, and the Registered Paralegal or RP.

Certified Legal Assistant: The CLA is the more opted choice of most Californians. If you so choose to obtain your own CLA certification you will need to take a two-day exam. You can get this examination from the Certifying Board of Legal Assistance. This exam satisfies the requirements defined by the National Association of Legal Assistants. Renewal of certification after 5 years is a mandate. Within a five-year period, you must finish 50 hours of approved continuing legal education credits in order to satisfactorily complete your renewal. You could also get your certified as a California Advance Specialist (CAS).

Registered Paralegal: If you want to become a Registered Paralegal (RP), it is first required of you to write and pass the Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE). This a test formed by the National Federation of Paralegal Associates (NFPA). Proof of completion of 12 hours of approved continuing legal education credits, in which are to be done so within the two-year frame, must be presented, to renew the certification. Renewal is required every 2 years.

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According to the Small Business Administration, www.sba.gov, your small business has to comply with numerous local, state and federal regulations. Research the regulations carefully to avoid penalties and other serious consequences. The following is a non-exhaustive list of the most common regulations that affect small businesses.

Business Licenses - State, city, or county.

Certificate of Occupancy — If you are planning to occupy a new or used building.

Business Organization — Consult a tax accountant or attorney prior to deciding which form of legal structure is right for your business.

Fictitious Business Names — If you use a “dba,” you may have to register the fictitious name pursuant to the Trade Name Registration Act.

Protecting Your Idea — Apply for trade name, trademark, patent and copyright protection with the state and federal government

Tax Requirements — You must withhold federal income taxes, state income taxes and FICA (Social Security) from wages paid to employees.

Federal Employer Identification Number — Apply at www.irs.gov.

State tax information - Apply at your state’s website or call your state government.

Federal Self-Employment Tax - Apply at www.irs.gov.

Business Insurance — You must have business insurance to protect your business such as: Liability, Property, Business Interruption, Key Man, Automobile, Office and Director, Home Office, Errors and Omissions.

Sales Tax Number - Required for retail purchases, rental, storage, and consumption of tangible personal property and certain services.

Unemployment Insurance Tax — required by the state if the company has one or more employees for 20 weeks in a calendar year or pays gross wages of $1,500 or more in a calendar year.

Immigration Act - Requires Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9.

Health and Safety — The Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) outlines specific health and safety standards.

Workers’ Compensation — If business employs three or more people.

Minimum Wage –All business entities are subject to the federal minimum wage, overtime and child labor laws.

Bar Coding — The Uniform Code Council, Inc. assigns a manufacturers’ ID code on the packaged products you sell.

For more information about these and other important business and legal topics, please visit our website at http://www.IndigoBusinessSolutions.net, Copyright 2006. Indigo Business Solutions is a registered trade name.

The future of your business starts here.

About the author:
Jo Ann Joy is the CEO and owner of Indigo Business Solutions. She has a law degree, an MBA, and a degree in Economics. Her background includes commercial and real estate law, accounting, financial planning, mortgages, marketing, product development, and business strategies. She ran a successful business for 10 years, and she has written and given presentations on many different legal and business subjects.

Jo Ann is not a traditional attorney. Rather, she is a strategic business attorney who works closely with clients to create and implement strategies that will greatly improve their performance and success. Indigo Business Solutions is a “one stop shop” for small businesses, because we offer comprehensive legal and business counseling. You may contact Jo Ann by phone at (602) 663-7007, by fax at (602) 324-7582, by email at joannjoy@Indigo Business Solutions.net, and by mail at 2313 East Ocotillo Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85016

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